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GEOGRAPHY. Euboia is the second largest island in
Greece and the seventh largest in the Mediterranean.
Lying opposite the northeast coast of Attica and the
east coast of Boiotia, it extends along their entire
length. Its terrain is virtually identical with that of
the mainland, being mountainous, intersected by fertile
plains and valleys along the coast. There is dense
afforestation and an abundance of timber and other tree
products, as well as rich arable farming, stock raising
and poultry-rearing. The climate is mild and the sea
sparkling clean in both the north and south Euboian
gulf, due to the currents in the Euripos straits. Close
to Athens, with a lovely verdant environment, sandy
beaches, many places of interest and developed tourist
facilities, Euboia is ideal for all manner of vacations.
Throughout the island there are extant reminders of its
turbulent past, particularly towers, Byzantine churches
and medieval fortresses. The road network on Euboia is
extensive and one can nowadays visit many parts
previously difficult of access. The island's capital is
Chalkida, 88 km. from Athens. Euboia is 3,654 sq. km. in
area, has 678 km. of coast and 185,626 inhabitants. The
centre of the island is occupied by the mountainous
massif of Dirfys (1745 m. a.s.l.) and there are other,
lower peaks. One can reach Euboia by road, railway (as
far as Chalkida) and car or passenger ferry from Oropos
to Eretria, from Rafina to Nea Styra, Marmari, Karystos,
from Arkitsa to Ai-dipsos, from Volos to Orei and from
Glyfa to Aghiokampos. There are also car ferries between
Kymi and Skyros (Daily), Skopelos and Halonnisos (more
frequent in the summer), Skiathos, Aghios Efstratios,
Lemnos and Kavala(once a week) and even with Volos
(twice weekly during the summer and once in the winter)
and Trikeri. Apart from the numerous hotels and rooms to
let there are many restaurants, tavernas, and grill
houses. One can also engage in such sports as swimming,
tennis, water skiing, fishing, hunting and
mountaineering.
HISTORY In
ancient times the island was called Makrys, Makre or
Doliche and it has been inhabited since late Neolithic
times. In its central and western part there was a high
incidence of settlements, particularly in the Early
Bronze Age (2600-2000 BC) when trade links were
developed with the Cyclades. In Mycenaean times (1600 -
1200 BC) the island was densely populated and
participated in the Trojan War, sending 40 ships. In the
course of displacements and migrations of populations
within the helladic area (1200 - 1000 BC), Thessalians,
Dryopes and Dorians came to Euboia. The island attained
its zenith during the 8th century BC. when its two major
cities, Chalkida and Eretria, founded colonies in
both western Greece, southern Italy and Sicily. These
two cities were not long in coming into conflict over
rights to the "Plain of Lilan-tion", which extends
between them, traversed by the river Lilas and even
today the most fertile part of Euboia. After a dispute
with Athens, Euboia was forced to submit to Athenian
lot-holders between 506 and 411 BC. The large city of
Eretria was pillaged and destroyed during the Persian
wars, at the end of which the island came under Athenian
domination. It was a member of the Athenian League (378
BC), belonged to the Macedonians for a brief interval
and was taken by the Romans in 194 BC. In 1204, as a
Byzantine province, it fell to the Franks who divided it
into three ridings. The many towers and fortresses
scattered throughout the island date from those days.
From 1366 onwards it was in Venetian hands and known as
Negreponte, a name originally applied only to the
Euripos strait but quickly assumed by the whole island.
It was taken by the Turks in 1470, under whose
domination it remained until 1829, the year of its
liberation. The island is divided into three large
geographical units, Central, Northern and Southern
Euboia.
Central Euboia
 SIGHTS-MONUMENTS.
The island's capital, Chalkida (pop. 44,867) is located
on the west side of Central Euboia. A modern town with
high rise buildings, plenty of hotels, restaurants,
tavernas and patisseries, it is built beside the Euripos
strait, well-known for its marked tides. Nowadays a
movable bridge connects Chalkida with the opposite
shore. Even in antiquity there was a movable wooden
bridge (441 BC on this spot, facilitating the passage of
ships sailing north-south, and vice versa, through the
gulf of Euboia to avoid the open sea. The site of the
ancient city is to the east of the present town. Almost
nothing has survived of the agora, houses and other
buildings mentioned by ancient authors. The city was
first inhabited in Neolithic times and achieved its acme
in the 8th century BC, when it founded colonies in the
Chalkidiki peninsula, South Italy and Sicily. In the
protracted dispute with Eretria for control of the
fertile Lilantion plain it became subject to Athens in
506 BC, entailing compulsory acceptance of 4000 Athenian
lot-holders as landlords. In the battle of Salamis (480
BC), Euboia fought alongside the Athenians and joined
the Second Athenian League (378 - 377 BC), it belonged
to the Macedonians for a short time and in 196 BC was
taken by the Romans. During the Prankish occupation it
constituted one of the three Baronies of Euboia. It fell
to the Turks in 1470, from whom it was liberated in the
1821 Revolution. Hardly anything has survived of the
medieval and Turkish buildings which once stood in
Chalkida. Remnants of the Turkish garrison are preserved
on top of the hill, which had even been fortified in the
4th century BC. In the quarter of the Kastro (castle) an
early Christian church of St. Parask-evi has survived,
originally the nave of the church of the Perivleptos,
altered by the Venetians and converted into a mosque by
the Turks, it was dedicated to St. Paraskevi in 1833.
The town has a Folk Museum, Art Gallery and
Archaeological Museum, housing important finds from
excavations on the island, including the outstanding
sculptures from the pediment of the temple of Apollo
Daphniphoros at Eretria.
Chalkida is a
convenient starting place for trips to other scenically
beautiful parts of mountainous Central Euboia. Kathenoi
(23 km.) with its Byzantine chapel (12th century) of
the Presentation of the Saviour. Steni Dirfys (33 km.),
set in the midst of woodland on the slopes of mount
Dirfys, a summer and winter resort with picturesque
springs, is a conglomerate three settlements; Ano Steni,
Kato Stem and Pyrgo Skouteri. Stropones (10 km.
northeast of Steni and 48 km. from Chalkida) is a
mountain village with a Byzantine church of the
Dormition of the Virgin. Southeast of Chalkida (8 km.)
is another lovely village, Vasi-liko, with ruins of a
Prankish tower, along with two hamlets, Lefkandi, where
excavations have brought to light settlements from
prehistoric till Geometric.times, and Kampos
Even further south
of Chalkida (22 km.) is Eretria, a focus of routes to
many parts of Eu-boia and the Sporades. The city was
built in the 8th century BC, the time of its economic
and artistic floruit, and was one of the most important
on the island. Between the 8th and 6th century BC
Eretrian vases were famous throughout Greece. In 490 BC
it was destroyed by the Persians. However, it was not
slow in recovering its strength and took part in the
naval battle of Salamis, sending 7 triremes. A member of
the Athenian League, in 446 BC it was forced to sanction
the allocation of its land to Athenian citizens. In 411
BC it fought against Athens as an ally of Sparta, but in
377 BC it joined the Second Athenian League. Throughout
the 4th, 3rd and 2nd century BC a large part of central
and southern Euboia was under its control. In 198 BC it
was sacked by the Romans and in 87 BC was destroyed yet
again and remained desolate until 1824 when refugees
from the decimation of Psara were resettled here and it
was appropriately named Nea Psara. The ruins of the
ancient city are very close to the present town:
sections of the fortification wall of the Classical
period, remnants of the 4th century BC theatre, as well
as of the sanctuary of Dionysos, the palaistra and the
gymnasium are preserved. On the top of the acropolis are
the remains of the large sanctuary of Apollo
Daphnephoros (6th century BC). In the local museum one
can see finds from Eretria and Lefkandi.
The sandy beaches
on the coast of Eretria and the modern hotel complexes
make it an attractive holiday resort.
East of Eretria (9
km.) is Amarynthos, an attractive country town which has
developed into a tourist centre in recent years. There
was a sanctuary here in antiquity where Artemis Amarysia
was worshipped and in whose honour the Amarysian games
were held. From Amarynthos one can easily visit the
mountain villages of Kallithea and Gymno (6 km.) or take
a trip to Aliveri (25 km.), a seaside town known as
Tamynai in ancient times when a
sanctuary of Apollo
existed there, in whose honour games were held. Other
interesting features in the town include some old
houses, a Venetian tower and Byzantine church of the
Dormition of the Virgin, a four-columned nave dated to
1310/1311 with relief decorations from an Early
Christian basilica on its exterior (5th century).
Just beyond Aliveri
the road forks - the left branch leads to Avlonari and
the right to Kymi. Avlonari is a quaint, traditional
mountain village (44 km. from Eretria) with stone-built
houses with tiled roofs and wrought-iron balustrades.
There is a Byzantine church of St. Demetrius (11th
century) and a medieval tower. In the direction of Kymi
there are another two villages, typical of the region,
Ochthonia (9km. from Avlonari), with traces of the
medieval garrison, and Oxylithos, with Byzantine
churches dedicated to the Dormition of the Virgin, St.
Nicholas and St. Anne, as well as the Mantzaris
monastery, the katholikon of which dates to the 11th
century. It is possible to travel along the coast from
Oxyithos to Kymi (one can also follow another route from
Avlonari, which leads directly to Kymi).
Kymi is set in a
green, wooded area (44 km. from Eretria) overlooking the
sea. It is a town with a rich history, being one of the
most important Euboian cities in antiquity (in the 8th
century BC it participated in the founding of colonies
in southern Italy), as well as in recent times (its
fleet played an active role in the 1821 Revolution).
Nowadays it is famed for its therapeutic spring of
Choneftikon. The church of the Virgin Liaoutsanissa and
the monastery of the Transfiguration of the Saviour,
above which stands a preserved medieval fortress, are
worth visiting. Swimming and fishing along the coast
between Ochthonia and Kymi is excellent.
Next month:
The Island of Euboia, Part 21 of 22
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Excerpts
and Photography from:
Cooking and Traditions of Zakynthos
The
suction and force-pump is one of the most
important inventions of Ktesibios, engineer of
Alexandria, who was called Father of
Pheumatiki (Air-navigation). Inside two
pistons with different functions are moving, one
of them crushes (squeezes) and other the other
absorbs. The movement of the pistons creates a
void followed by a suction of water, which is
transported through a a pipe outside the area,
where the pump is located. The instrument has
been one of the most popular instruments and was
used by many people. It is used even today in
various forms. 
